The Inn Collection

If you’re travelling in Northeast England or planning a holiday in the region, take a look at what The Inn Collection can offer in terms of accommodation – you won’t be disappointed.

A leading hospitality and pub company in the north of England, The Inn Collection boasts an expanding portfolio which, to date, comprises seven pubs/inns stretching from Flass Vale in Durham to Berwick-upon-Tweed, just two miles from the Scottish border.

My family and I were fortunate enough to sample five of the inns during Summer 2016 and were suitably impressed for a host of reasons. We stayed at the Kingslodge Inn in Durham, Bamburgh Castle Inn at Seahouses, Northumberland, and the most recent addition to the company’s portfolio, The Commissioners Quay Inn at Blyth, Northumberland. In addition, we sampled lunch at The Hog’s Head Inn at Alnwick and at their most northerly hostelry, The Lindisfarne Inn at Berwick.

The company’s promotional material explains a little about its ethos: while retaining the “atmosphere and friendly service of a traditional inn”, they have complemented it with “attractive modern interiors, good food and excellent value accommodation”. From our experience, they’re achieving their objectives.

Although the individual inns we experienced will be reviewed separately on the site, there are some general observations and comments I’d like to make about the group as a whole.

There are similarities between the various inns, from the plaid carpets and seating to the large, comfy beds. While menus in each of the inns contain a lot of similar dishes, there are always differences and, what’s more, the staff are always willing to adapt the menu to satisfy someone’s individual needs. For example, we’re a family of veggies and all of us have particular likes and dislikes. Whenever we asked for an ingredient to be removed or something added, it was never a problem – always a sign, in my view, of an establishment’s professionalism. The only thing we found, though, is that soya milk wasn’t always available and it’s advisable to inform the inns in advance so they can make sure it’s ordered in, ready for your arrival.

In terms of food, the portions were very generous and the food always nicely cooked and presented. Each inn were advertising some decent off-peak dinner offers as well as attractive B&B deals.

All of the inns we visited employed friendly, helpful staff and many were locals which meant they possessed the knowledged when quizzed about places to visit, etc.

As I’ve mentioned, we enjoyed our time at the inns and would certainly recommend them to anyone wanting a place to eat or stay while in the area.